Hydrostatic press



' 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. H. MGGOWAN.

HYDROSTATIG PRESS. No. 247,385. Patented Sept. 20,1881,

'1 runs. Wahinm a, c.

' 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. J. H. McGOWAN. HYDROSTATIG PRESS. No. 247,385. Patented Sept. 20,1881

N. PETERS PMD-LIIMHW. Wuhingiom D. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN H. MCGOWAN, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

HYDROSTATIC PRESS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 247,385, dated September 20, 1881.

Application filed January 23, 1880. v

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOHN H. MoGoWAN, of Cincinnati, Hamilton county, Ohio, have invented a new and useful Hydrostatic Press, of

which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to presses having a vertically-moving platen actuated by a plunger driven by liquid pressure in acylinder or other motive power in which it is desired at times to retain the substance undergoing treatment in a given state of compression for a given period of time; and its object is to provide a means of locking and retaining the platen which shall act independently of any leakage or other circumstance causing the platen to settle, which may be operated easily and expeditiously to lock or unlock the platen,and which, when not used, shall not interfere with the freest use of the press in the ordinary manner.

To this end my invention consists in providing the press with two or more independent rotating screw-threaded bars projecting upward from the brass plate, provided with adjustable nuts for sustaining the platen at a given elevation.

It consists, also, in the combination, with said platen and sustaining brace and nut, of one or more removable and replaceable bearing-plates arranged to be interposed between the said bearing-nut and the platen, as occasion may require.

My invention is embodied in mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a vertical elevation of my improved press, with the platen sustaining mechanism shown upon the left hand, that shown upon the right being the subject of a separate application filed as a division of the present one. .Fig. 2 is an inverted plan view of a portion of the platen, showing the bearing-plate pivoted thereto. Fig. 3 is a vertical section through the platen, bearing-plate,.and nut; and Fig. 4 isa vertical section of same, showing several bearing-plates in position.

Similar letters indicate similar parts in the several drawings.

In the drawings the usual form of a hydrostatic press is shown, having a base, A, side braces or guides, B, and upper press-bar, O, constituting the frame, and a cylinder, D, seated upon the base-bar and operating a plunger,

E, carrying the platen F, which may be guided upon the side brace, B.

G is the sustaining-bar, (of which any number may be used, although two are ordinarily sufficient,) seated in a socket in the base-bar and projecting upward in a line parallel with the axis of the plunger. The platen may be perforated in the line of the sustaining-bar, at a, to allow the bar to project upward through it as the platen descends to its lowest point; or the platen may he provided with a perforated re-enforcing block,f, upon its under side, into which the sustaining-bar may enter, its under surface furnishing a bearing for sustaining the platen. The bar Gis screw-threaded, excepting the lower portion, and is pro ided with a nut, 12, which, when adjusted, forms a bearing for the platen Fagainst its under surface, or that of the block f, or that of the adjustable plate, as hereinafter specified. The bar Or maybe rotated in its socket, for the purpose of tightening or loosening the bearing of the nut 11., by a wrench or otherwise. Means for this purpose are shown, consisting of a collar, 8, provided with a handle, h.

One or more bearing-plates, H, may be arranged upon the under side of the platen F, to

be interposed between the bearing-nut and the platen. In the present case they are shown as pivoted to the under side of the re-enforcing block f, and provided with open slots in the arc of relative travel of the sustaining-bar Gr. Any number of'these plates may be secured upon a common pivot and provided with handles i, so as to be readily swung into position to occupy the interval between the bearingnut a and the platen when it is desired to permanently secure the latter at a given elevation.

When it is desired to use the press and to retain the platen at a fixed elevation-as, for example, in tobacco-factories, where it is desired to retain tobacco in a state of compression over night-the. bar G is inserted in its socket, and when the platen reaches the desired elevation the nut n is run up against the platen or re-en forcing block f. When the nut is as tight as it can be conveniently forced the bar is rotated somewhat to the left byawrench or its handle, and the nut thus forced more securely against the platen. This final adjustment can be more easily accomplished by retating the bar in the nut than by turning the nut, because of the smaller surface exposed to frictional contact. It is thus possible to obtain a closer adjustment by rotating the bar than is possible otherwise. In unlocking the press again the baris rotated back again, which has the effect to relieve the immediate bearing strain of the platen or the nut, and the latter may then be run down as far as desired.

The plates H are designed primarily to atford a ready and quick means of adjustment, and avoid the necessity of rotating the nut over any considerable length of the bar Gr. Thus when the platen has reached its elevation one or more of the plates can be swung or inserted in the interval between the nut and the platen, thus leaving very little, if any, travel for the nut in adjusting it, as before described. The rotation of the bar then perfects the adjustment. The disengagement of the platen is effected as before described. By this means the engagement and disengagement of the platen and sustaining-bar are most expeditiously effected, and the wear and loss of time in moving the nut upon the sustainingbar are avoided, a slight adjusting movement simply being required. When out of use the bar or bars G may be entirely removed and the press used in the ordinary manner.

I do not here claim the sustaining-bar provided with the transverse slots cut in different directions, and extending into each other and provided with a wedge; nor do I here claim such formed sustaining-bar when constructed to be rotated and adjusted vertically, as represented in part of Fig. 1, as such features form the subject-matter of a separate ap plication for patent filed by me, as hereinbefore stated.

Having described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. The improved hydrostatic press, having the frame B O, the cylinder D, with the base A, piston E, and platen F, the removable screw threaded sustaining bars stepped in socket-bearin gs in the base A, and the adjustable bearing-nuts on which the plungerhead or platen is supported, all constructed,

arranged, and operating substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In combination with the vertically-movable platen of a hydrostatic or other press, and a sustaining bar or bars provided with adjustable bearings for sustaining the platen, one or more slotted supports pivoted to the under side of the platen, and arranged to be swung into or out of position between the platen and the bearings, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 12th day of January, 1880.

JOHN H. MOGOWAN.

Witnesses O. F. HnssER, L. M. HosnA. 

